Transcript Alexander, Olson, Richmond Reed Bed

Reed Bed Filtration
Jake Alexander
Julia Olson
Megan Richmond
Objectives
• Problem
– Contaminated
creek
• Solution
– Reed Bed
System
– Decrease
phosphates/oth
er runoff
Past studies
• Found reed bed filtration systems can
completely clean a creek of pollutants
– Size of creek
– Amount of pollutants
• Can restore natural ecosystems
(Zhao 2009)
Lotic Environment
• Abiotic Factors
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Light
Flow
Temperature
Chemistry
• What lives
there?
– Phytoplankton
– Mosses
– Amphibians
Human Impact
Why Reed Beds?
• Artificial wetland to treat
waste
– Breakdown of organic
waste by saprotrophic
bacteria
• Smaller scale filtration
• Cheap and easily
planted
Phosphates
• Essential for plant and animal life
• Too much speeds up eutrophication
– Less oxygen in water
• Common in fertilizers, manure and
organic wastes
– When creek banks erode, phosphate
rich soil falls in
(Perlman 2009)
Materials
• Common Reed
• Sand
• Gravel
• Stones
• Shovels
• Phosphate detection kit
Procedure
• Obtain materials
• Mark out a 3 meter long plot on the creek
• Lay a layer of gravel on the bottom of
that area
• Lay a layer of sand above the gravel
• Plant reeds in sand/gravel area
Procedure
• Test phosphate levels in water
• Use phosphate test kits from LabAIDS #19 and #20
• Test phosphate levels each day
after reeds are planted in creek
Data collection
• Data will be collected using
phosphate test kits from Lab-AIDS
19-20
• Quantitative value of amount of
phosphates and other possible
pollutants in water
Data Collection
• Data will be collected over a period
of time
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Find overall success
Find change over time
Allow for statistical analysis
Qualitative/Quantitative
References
• Anti-sized reed bed system for
animal wastewater treatment: a
comparative study (Zhao 2009)
• Nutrient removal using reed bed
systems in Greece (Markantonatos
2008)